The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-12-30
MANKATo FREE PRESS.
FRIDAY. DECEMBER so 1887,
! 8 8 z
How Mankato Has
Prospered in the
Past Year.
Grand Total of $685.
6OS Expended in
Buildings and I'M
prevents.
Over One Hundred and Fifty
New Residences Erected.
Public and Private Improvements to Bx-
coed Any Former Year.
Real Estate Transfers for the Year foot ur
One and Half Millions.
A Statement of the Output of Mankatc
Quarries.
Brief Review of the Oity-What the
Shipments Have Been, Etc.
Real Estate Transfers for the Year foot up
One and Half Millions.
A Statement of the Output of Mankato
Quarries.
A Brief Review of the 0ity-What the
Shipments Have Been, Etc.

Shipments Have Been, Etc.
Handsome Showing of the Progress
Being Made by the Metropolis
of Southwestern Minnesota.
A. d. 1887 is rapidly closing its career
and it is with feelings of regret that we
part from the old year which has been
fraught with so much prosperity for
Mankato.' Our CITY has bv no means
been sighted by the wave of general
Advancement which ia making the
Northwest the most important section
of the country. Every branch of indus
try and trade which the city possesses in
80 large degree has enjoyed season Of
prosperity and greatly enlarged its field
of operation. Real estate of all descrip-
tiOns has advanced at least p per cent.
in such good demand. Addition after
addition has been plated and placed
upon the market to find ready sales TO
those whose intention is TO build sooner
or later. A new railroad has been built
into the city giving our jobbing and
manufacturing interests the advantage
of another competing line and connec-
ton with one of the most liberal of rail-
way systems. Through the effects of
the inter-state law and the efforts of To-
cal business men material and needed
reductions have been secured in freight
rates, until at present the jobbing inter
ssts of our city are no longer compelled
TO fight in the face of unjust discrimina-
tons in favor of other business centres.
Wholesale and retail merchants in all
lines with one accord report increased
sales and enlarged territory.
The statistics which follow give bet
ter idea than anything else can of the
progress the city has made. The public
improvements. including the purchase
of the city park, the Inauguration of
perfect sewer system, extension and en-
largement Ofthe water works system and
street grading by the wholesale, are
such that the city may well be proud of
and their accomplishment has not only
added to the reputation of the city for
public spirit hut marks new era Of
progress which can not be impeded.
The handsome showing of the building
record and the grand total of improve
ments, 1865, S5S, are such AS MankatoItes
may certainly be proud of While 9th
er places have had their windy
blooms" and expended much news
paper space IN efforts to keep alive flag
ging interest IN their real estate or other
enterprises, Mankato has been making
steady and rapid progress and improve
ment. She has stepped forward with
good pace and her citizens view with
pleasure the advancement she has made
as the most enterprising and chief city
of southern Minnesota.
FREIGHT STATISTICS.
One of the most positive and con-
vincing proofs Of the increasing COM
mercial interests of our city is found in |
the statistics furnished by the several
railroads entering and passing through |
the city. In the following table will be |
found the total number of cars of freight |
received and forwarded during the |
wears 1886 and 1887
1885, 1886. Inc. 1857. |
No Cars forwarded. 1922 I2.e47 aOe4
NOCars received, 6,ss5 6,Q0S 81
Totals, 28,s57 iss55 4Oe2 |
Thus it is seen that in 1887 total Of
1857 car loads of freight have been
handled by the railroads entering the
city, and totals show a handsome in
crease over last wear Of the 1892 cars |
forwarded ,72I were of stone. These
figures were furnished from the records |
in the railway offices and are reliable.
They show that Mankato handles an
amount of freight that would be credit
to a much larger city.
BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
The Improvements made during the
year, both public and private, have not
only been large but have been Of sub
stantial character, and are such as will
last. The city's expenditures have all
been made with a view to their lasting
and permanent usefulness. In private
buildings the same substantial air is
prevalent. The new business blocks
are solid, wsll-built, and more elaborate
than sny that have preceded them.
In one respect has the past year been
quite remarkable, and that is the char
acter Of the residences which have been
built. In years gone by it was the Gus
tom for almost every man who con-
a home TO be his own architect
and superintendent, and in many in
stances head carpenter. The appearance
of buildings put up in the hap. hazard
sort of way was anything but pleasant
to the eys-being clumsy, unsymmetri-
cal and void of beauty IN every appoint
ment. But thanks to growing pride of
our citizens this state of affairs exists no
longer. The large number of new
homes erected the past season show not
only architectural beauty, but they are
of superior class of dwellings and pos
sess all the conveniences known TO mod
ern architecture. The difference in
cash between an archItecturally beauti-
full home and one put up in the old way
is 80 slight that when one comes to com
pare the two he is surprised, and by
adopting plan he gains something sub
stantial as well as slightly.
The prospects for residence building
next year are exceptionally fattering,